National Geographic backs down—sort of!

by Dr Carl Wieland

April 11, 2000

It’s official—Archaeoraptor can now be called the “Piltdown Bird!”

Just as the notorious “Piltdown Man” of England was composed of fossils of two different creatures, so the much-touted “missing link” between dinosaurs and birds, Archaeoraptor, is now officially regarded as “a combination of at least two different animals.”

National Geographic, the magazine responsible for the most sensationalized and lurid touting of this alleged “missing link,” appears to be on a face-saving exercise after (as previously revealed on this website) it appeared highly likely that their prize creationist-busting specimen was a fake. This fossil was the centerpoint of an article which was so lurid and sensationalized as to be roundly attacked even by some evolutionary colleagues! National Geographic had even gone so far in their triumphal gloatings as to depict a baby T. rex with feathers!

Presumably still smarting from the egg on their faces, the National Geographic Society has officially endorsed the findings of a panel of scientists which have confirmed the nonlink, composite status of the so-called “Archaeoraptor.” However, they have never apologized for the misleading drawings and statements in last year’s article, which would have misled millions. In fact, they defiantly end their website announcement about all this with:

“Regardless of this week’s conclusion, most scientists have been convinced for some time that birds descended from small, meat-eating dinosaurs. They base the theory on a wealth of fossil evidence from many locations around the world.”

There’s not one word about the many evolutionists themselves who have pointed out the fatal flaws in the “dino-to-bird” theory, which includes at least one member of the panel whose findings they have just endorsed!

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